Jet2holidays provides apprenticeship funding to support independent travel agent partners

Jet2holidays has today revealed that it is providing almost £650,000 of apprenticeship funding to support independent travel agent partners in developing the next generation of talent in their stores and in the travel industry.

This funding includes the transfer of almost £500,000 in apprenticeship levy funds to independent travel agents, after a phenomenal response to Jet2holidays’ Appoint an Apprentice scheme. Back in October 2023, the UK’s largest tour operator announced that it was making almost £500,000 worth of apprenticeship funds available via a levy transfer to help independent travel agent partners develop their workforces.

The levy funds have been earmarked to enable partners to recruit dedicated apprentices into their businesses, meaning they can bring in new talent whilst retaining and developing a highly skilled workforce. After a huge response from partners, the tour operator has approved apprenticeship levy funds totalling almost £500,000 to be transferred across approximately 50 different companies, funding almost 100 new apprentices in total. Many of the independent agency partners are classed as small businesses and this will be the first time that many have recruited apprentices. The popularity of the scheme means that demand outstripped the funds available.

As part of its Appoint an Apprentice scheme, the UK’s largest tour operator has also revealed today that it is providing £150,000 to help fund the salaries of new apprentices for one year in independent travel agency partners across more than 30 companies across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Again, this comes in direct response to a huge number of applications from independent travel agents, after Jet2holidays revealed the new initiative to directly support independent travel agency partners with recruitment and talent development. As well as helping to fund salaries of new apprentices for a year, the £150,000 of funding announced today will also provide bespoke training and support to help with the development of these apprentices.

Independent travel agents such as Cumbria Travel, Now Let’s Travel & Sunlounger Travel are now beginning the process of recruiting apprentices into their businesses. Jet2holidays will hold an event at its commercial offices in Leeds to support these apprentices, with more details to be announced in due course.

Iain Kirkbright from Sunlounger Travel said: “We fully understand the benefits that an apprentice can bring to our business having invested in the scheme in other stores. Jet2holidays offering this fantastic initiative will allow us to further invest in the scheme and help bring on the next generation of travel talent.”

Paul Johnstone from Now Lets Travel said: “We are delighted to have been selected as one of the agents to benefit from this fantastic Jet2holidays scheme giving a young person an opportunity to shine in this exciting industry.  This will ultimately help us to grow our sales and our workforce.”

Leanne Miller from Cumbria Travel said: “We are so delighted to have been given this fantastic opportunity to appoint an apprentice into our store. It is such a great initiative from Jet2holidays and will ensure the ongoing growth of our business, as well as bringing a new generation of talent into our amazing industry.”

Today’s announcement is the latest demonstration of Jet2holidays’ continued commitment to investing in independent travel agents through its Partners to Success strategy. With over 150 apprentices already in employment, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have a constantly expanding nationwide apprenticeship programme. In a demonstration of their commitment to apprenticeships, they have also been named as one of the supporters of National Apprenticeship Week 2024.

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “We have been truly amazed by the response from independent travel agents to our Appoint an Apprentice scheme. The volume of applications shows how just much our partners want to grow and develop their workforces, and Jet2holidays is proud to be supporting them by investing in their growth to help them bring through the next generation of talent. This is a fantastic way to start the new year, investing directly into our independent travel agency partners to help them grow their businesses and support our fantastic industry. As a business, we are totally committed to apprenticeships and today we are taking action to support small businesses to grow through apprenticeships, as well as increase the number of employers who are offering apprenticeships.”